I've made it!

   30 days and 30 films later and happier than ever.

  I'm writing this post in advance because on the 16th of October I'll be somewhere in Borneo among orangutans, pygmy elephants and baby turtles. Chances are that I'll be cruising the river kinabatangan or maybe just relaxing in Pulau Tiga. I'm only sure that I won't be working, that I won't have my laptop on me, no internet and I will not watch a film! See you all back in Saigon folks! I'll try my best to show up as tanned and happy as possible!

Day 30: Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan | 1998 | USA | Steven Spielberg

7.2 / 10

   I think this film is completely overrated and it stands miles away from Apocalypse Now or Full Metal Jacket.
   It's well done and technically exceptional. It's raw and realistic (exception made for the typical "Spielberg ending"). It's well acted but nothing outstanding. Great cinematography but not engaging. It surely didn't live up to my expectations.

Day 29: Taxi Driver

Taxi Driver | 1976 | USA | Martin Scorsese

9 / 10

"Listen, you fuckers, you screwheads. Here is a man who would not take it anymore. A man who stood up against the scum, the cunts, the dogs, the filth, the shit. Here is a man who stood up." 

5 reasons to watch Taxi Driver:

1. It's the ultimate Martin Scorsese's masterpiece.

2. It's one of the greatest films of all time.

3. Not a single line was wasted, not a single frame was meaningless.

4. It was perfectly shot, beautifully directed,  superbly acted, amazingly edited.

5. Takes you on an amazing journey into the twisted, disturbed and psychologically complex mind of Travis Bickle.

Now just stop reading about it and watch it.

Day 28: Boyhood

Boyhood | 2014 | USA | Richard Linklater

6.9 / 10

   Boyhood is probably one of the most overrated movies of the decade.
   I don't care how a movie was made, I care for the result. And to be honest, I can think of better ways to spend 12 years directing movies.
   It's not a bad movie but it's not great either. Nothing was particularly amazing. It lacks substance and it's mundane. The performances are inconsistent, it was way too long and a lot of events shouldn't have made it to the screen. But they did. All the landmarks are there. And why? Because of the concept that seemed to obsessed everyone except me. You can't miss a thing even if it's not adding anything to the story. Even if it's meaningless. 
   Do me a favor and pretend for a second that this movie was made in 10 months. Now tell me how good it was.

Day 27: The Godfather: Part III

The Godfather: Part III | 1990 | USA | Francis Ford Coppola

7.9 / 10

The Godfather Part III or How to single handedly ruin a film.

   The Godfather Part III is the weakest of the trilogy and it owes it to Sofia Coppola's performance who takes it down a notch. If you can get over it, which isn't easy, you realize it's actually not a bad film at all. 

    The story is about an old Michael, haunted by the ghosts of his past, trying to protect his family and trying to find someone to continue his work. The way Al PAcino carried his character until the end is absolutely brilliant and leads to an epic ending! Andy Garcia also gives an outstanding performance and his energy shines. 

    The Godfather Part III is a solid film, well written, partially well acted and gives a great closure to the trilogy. 

Day 26: Raging Bull

Raging Bull | 1980 | USA | Martin Scorsese

8.4 / 10

"You didn't get me down, Ray."

    There's only one film like Raging Bull. And that's Raging Bull. 34 years have passed by and no boxing film ever came close.

    This film is a magnificent piece of art with flawless acting. Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci's performances are outstanding.

      There's no message to learn. There's psychotic violence. Blood in the ring and psychological violence outside. It's ambitious, it's heavy, and it lives up to all the expectations I could have ever had.

   

Day 25: Schindler's List

Schindler's List | USA | 1993 | Steven Spielberg

7.9 / 10

"Power is when we have every justification to kill, and we don't."

  I'm not a big fan of Steven Spielberg and this film didn't change my mind. I think he's a wonderful story teller but not an outstanding director. 

   The Schindler's List  is a remarkable film that everyone should watch. Fantastic writing, strong script, powerful story... a well done heart touching film. The big issue for me is towards the end, it gets overly preachy. I guess like always Spielberg just couldn't hep himself.

Day 24: Casablanca

Casablanca / 1942 / USA / Michael Curtiz

8.9 / 10

"Captain Renault: What in heaven's name brought you to Casablanca?

Rick:  My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.

Captain Renault: The waters? What waters? We're in the desert.

Rick: I was misinformed."

   Casablanca is a story of true love. Unconditional and unselfish like true love should be. And that's what makes it a timeless masterpiece.

   In Casablanca not a single frame is wasted, the dialogue is just brilliant and the chemistry between Bogart and Bergman leads it to greatness. Casablanca deserves all the recognition it gets and I shall watch it for ever and ever.

Day 23: Amadeus

Amadeus / 1984 / USA / Miloš Forman

6.7 / 10

   This was the first time I watched Amadeus. What a disappointment. 

   First of all, this is not a movie about Mozart, this is a movie about Salieri and jealousy.

   The movie is way too long, silly, irritating, and to be honest I was never engaged either by the story either by the actors. 

   The art direction and costume design are good. The sets are extremely beautiful. But that, by itself,  doesn't make a motion picture.

   Only have one question I would like to actually get an answer for: why in the world is this film in English?

Day 22: Goodfellas

Goodfellas | 1990 | USA |  Martin Scorsese

8.2 / 10



"Sure, mom, I settle down with a nice girl every night, then I'm free the next morning."

 Goodfellas tell us the story about the rise and fall of the gangster Henry Hill.        It's incredibly well written and has outstanding performances from De Niro, Pesci and Liotta.

 Opposite of The Godfather it doesn't glorify organized crime. 

 It's a masterpiece of directing and acting, it's memorable and extremely rewatchable.

Day 21: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

1964 | UK USA | Stanley Kubrick

9.1 / 10



"Mein Fuhrer, I can walk."

   What a mind blowing masterpiece about egos and war! 

    Dr Strangelove is darkly hilarious and illustrates in a brilliant exaggerated way the kind of selfish world we live in.

   This artwork is made of brilliant dialogues, outstanding performances by Scott and Sellers, a pessimist ending and a ridiculously delightful backup plan. 

Day 20: Apocalypse Now

Apocalypse Now | 1979 | USA | Francis Ford Coppola

8.9 / 10




I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

   Apocalypse Now ranks, for me, together with Full Metal Jacket, the top 2 of war films of all times. Like the Kubrick's creation it's an informative psychological war film and picks no side.

   It's very intense, hallucinogenic and physically and psychologically exhausting. From the very beginning we can see the damage the war did to the protagonist. We can feel how months in the jungle drove him to insanity. He wasn't meant to be there but he no longer belongs back home, and he knows that.

   The devastating perspective of the Vietnam war wakes up hatred and frustration. By the end of the film I was as emotionally exhausted as the characters in the film.

   This is not a story about the ending, It's all about the journey. And I believe that Marlon Brando's performance has been overrated. I do agree that it contemplates the best intro and ending of the story of cinema.

Day 19: Gandhi

Gandhi | 1982 | India UK USA |  Richard Attenborough

7.4 /10



"They may torture my body, break my bones, even kill me, then they will have my dead body. Not my obedience!"

   Am I the only person in the world that didn't find Ben Kingsley a great Gandhi? 

   Probably.

   Am I the only person in the world that found this film overrated, dated and painfully dull?        Maybe.

  Gandhi is overlong, inconsistent and has a lot of pacing issues. If you don't care for Ben Kingsley much you won't get over these issues. 

   I still recommend it to watch it. It's educational and some parts are well-made. What really upsetted me in this film is that doesn't live up to the amazing life of Gandhi.

Day 18: The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption | 1994 | USA | Frank Darabont

8.3 / 10

   The Shawshank Redemption is one of the best prison break films ever made.

   It's a heartfelt inspiring story about the power of friendship between two men. It's solid, interesting, clever and kind of predictable. Predictable is not necessary negative. This a film about the journey within prison walls and not about the ending. It's story of hope and perseverance and all the characters are memorable. Morgan Freeman's narration puts it all together in a way only him can do it. The only thing I keep asking myself is how did Andy put the poster of Raquel Welch back on the wall? 

Day 17: The Straight Story

The Straight Story | 1999 | USA | David Lynch

9 /10

   If you are looking for a classic David Lynch film, don't. It starts like one but overall it's not.
   Unlikely his previous work this film is very straightforward, delicate, moving and, in my opinion, the most heartfelt.
  It's a story about the journey, not the destination.
  The film is about Alvin Straight and all the people he comes across with that care for him.     Alvin is a simple man that aged well, it feels like all the mistakes in his past made him become a better man and we care for him from the very beginning. 
   The Straight Story is based in a true story, that by itself, is hard to believe in. Family and forgiven got the story started but it's the kindness of strangers that keeps him going and affects us deeply.
   It's a journey in space and time and Farnsworths performance is tremendous. He is the one that elevated this masterpiece to absolute perfection. 
   This film affected me profoundly in so many ways and took my love for David Lynch to a whole other level.

Day 16: 12 Years a Slave

12 Years a Slave 2013 USA Steve McQueen

7.4 / 10

   Ok, I get it. It's a film about slavery in the USA therefore let's all feel guilty about it and overrate this artwork as a way to forgiveness. Don't take me wrong, I don't think it's a bad movie at all, I just don't think it's that good. 
   The characters are dull and the script is dragging for 134 minutes. If you wanna make a movie this long you need to explore more the characters. There's no salt and pepper. The movie didn't definitely live to what I was expecting for and cruelty was explored to a disgusting point.